Today's Food for Thought:
Written by Lisa Lillien from Hungry-Girl.com
last updated: July 2005
Can't drive past the drive-thru window without stopping for something sweet? Luckily, there are some diet-friendly choices. Here's what you need to know, so you can order wisely...
Good'n Fruity
Dessert doesn't have to consist of chocolate, cookies, ice cream or pastries. Fruit can be a great dessert choice. Luckily, lots of fast food chains are jumping on the fruit bandwagon. Here are some items you'll want to try:
McDonald's Apple Dippers - 100 cal., 1g fat, 22 carbs, 0g fiber, 0g protein (leave off the caramel, and the apples are just 35 calories!)
Wendy's Fruit Cup - 80 cal., 0g fat, 20 carbs, 2g fiber, 1g protein
McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait w/out granola - 130 cal., 2g fat, 25 carbs, 0g fiber, 4g protein
KFC Motts Original Apple Sauce - 100 cal., 0g fat, 24 carbs, 1g fiber, 0g protein
Best Bet
Can't resist fast food sweets? If you've just gotta have a "desserty" dessert at the drive-thru, these are your best options...
McDonald's Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone - 150 cal., 3.5g fat, 24 carbs, 0g fiber, 4g protein
Rubio's Mini Churro - 80 cal., 4g fat, 11 carbs, 0g fiber, 1g protein
Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists - 160 cal., 5g fat, 28 carbs, 0g fiber, 1g protein
KFC Lil' Buckets Strawberry Shortcake - 200 cal., 6g fat, 34 carbs, 0g fiber, 2g protein
Shake it Off...
Shakes are not beverages, friend! They're full-blown, super duper high calorie desserts. In fact, many fast food shakes contain more calories than an average dessert. For example, Jack in the Box's large size Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream Shake contains an insane 1450 calories, 65 grams of fat (43 of them saturated!),188 carbs and 160g of sugar. Gross!
Add-ons or Leave-offs?
Sometimes the way you order things can drastically change an item's nutritionals. Here are some popular fast food dessert add ons. Are they worth the calories? That's up to you...
McDonald's Sundaes: Skip the chopped nuts, and you'd save 45 cal. and 3.5g of fat.
Dairy Queen: Just how many calories does dipping your cone into DQ's chocolate shell cost you? 110 for a small cone, 160 for a medium, and 230 for a large. Hmmm...
Pizza Hut: Munching on cinnamon sticks? Wait! Don't dip them into that white icing. That itty, bitty 1/8 of a cup contains 190 calories. That's more calories than are in two of the sticks themselves!
Arby's Apple Turnover: Get the version with icing and you'll be taking in an extra 130 calories.
Tips from the Hungry Girl
If you absolutely MUST order that bad-for-you dessert, order the smallest size available--even the kiddie size if they have one.
Having a moment of weakness? Pop a mint in your mouth. It'll curb your cravings for sweets, so you'll be better able to resist those urges.
Plan ahead. If you've just gotta have that dessert, compensate by ordering a lighter entree (250 calories or less).
Keep portable sweets in your car, office, etc... Knowing you have a Chips Ahoy 100 Calorie Pack or a Deep Chocolate VitaTop within reach will keep you from ordering a higher cal drive-thru version.
Sunny